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Randall Mell

14Wie goes for Texas-sized price at golf auction

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profileIconRANDALL MELL, Senior Writer, GolfChannel.com   Posted 11/18/2009, 6:40 PM EST

RICHMOND, Texas – Michelle Wie’s breakthrough victory created a bidding frenzy Tuesday night at the LPGA Tour Championship pro-am pairings party.

Michael Maggi, 43, an energy trader from Houston, successfully bid $22,000 for the right to play golf with Wie in Wednesday’s pro-am.

Maggi said he came to the pairings party determined to win the bid but never expecting he would have to pay more than $10,000. Technically, Maggi wasn’t bidding on Wie. The auction, complete with a professional auctioneer in a cowboy hat, was for the right to make the first pick at the pairings party.

“Everyone knew that was going to be Michelle Wie,” Maggi said.

Wie, who won her first LPGA title Sunday at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, was there to watch the frenzied bidding. She said she couldn’t quite fathom someone paying that much to play golf with her.

“I was thinking maybe $50,” Wie cracked.

Maggi said he didn’t mind paying double what he budgeted.

“I felt better than my wife did about it,” said Maggi, whose wife stood anxiously beside him during the heated auction. “She wasn’t quite as enthusiastic.”

Maggi paid the entire bidding fee for his foursome, which included his friends, Mark and Jenny Murdoch of Houston and John Phillips, a club professional at Richmond's Shadow Hawk Golf Club. The team shot 16-under but didn't place among the top three in the pro-am.

"Michelle was great to play with," Maggi said. "I think the highlight was after John stubbed a chip and Michelle says, `At least you hit it straight, John.'"

The $22,000 bid by Maggi went to a good cause, the Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital’s orthopedic services division. LPGA pro Stacy Lewis had spine surgery at the Hermann Hospital to repair the damage caused by scoliosis. Lewis’ mother is a nurse at the Hermann Hospital’s Woodlands branch.

Kristy Elliott, the hospital’s community relations director, said Wie's high fetching price helped the hospital far exceed its financial projections for the night. More than $30,000 was raised at the pairings party.

"Anything over $5,000 would have been great," Elliott said.

There was only bidding for the first pick at the pairings party but money also was raised in raffles and other ways.

 

18
Nov

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  1. sambam52

    sambam52 Said on 11/20/2009, at 10:11 AM EST

    “I've felt that Wie didn't have the physical toughness to withstand a professional career. It may work out that the reduced LPGA schedule due to lack of sponsorships may work in Wie's favor.”

  2. pingforever

    pingforever Said on 11/20/2009, at 7:53 AM EST

    “Stub: Last time I checked, the charitable deduction was WAY down from what it used to be. As a result charities are suffering. You're the blog sage this morning! As you suggested/predicted Wie has withdrawn. Too bad. As I said elsewhere this morning, Michelle's body may not be able to withstand the rigors of being a professional athlete. Remember Bo Jackson? Who knows what he may have down but for a necrotic hip.”

  3. stub

    stub Said on 11/19/2009, at 8:45 PM EST

    “ Ping..I was tol by my ol mammy..always keep a little under the mattrese..and remember, this was for charity, AND TAX DEDUCTABLE Macer bid 4 sliders,in a bag for 4.00 at 4 in the morning, and just missed out..I think he ended up with Petterson..or was that Jumpin??hard to keep track of these things...Hogan, your absolutely right this was a bargin...NOW GANG...I'm going to take my lumps on this ..but...I feel the Big Wieze should withdraw from the event..I know, I know..I'll lose muy wagers and ya all know what I think she is gonna do..but...It looks very much like she has a high ankle sprain...If football players get this, their off for at least 2 weeks...The injury has not responded, and it's necessary for the ankle to be 100% to get over on the left side during the swing..I hope her father and whomever else has input, stops her now before this goes to ligament damage, and that may never heal.If she continues, Bad swing habits creep in and than ya got more problems...this is only 1 event, there are more to come in her career..orry WIEZE, but I'm thinking of down the road...STUB ”

  4. jeff7

    jeff7 Said on 11/19/2009, at 5:48 PM EST

    “Only 24 events are scheduled for 2010. How will the new young women coming up ever make a living? It's impossible with such few events and such small purses.”

  5. handicap=swing

    handicap=swing Said on 11/19/2009, at 4:08 PM EST

    “Oh2... anti-feminist? I guess I missed something. The kind of interest exemplified herein is exactly what the LPGA needs and is actively courting. Hence Gulbis' swimsuit pics etc...”

  6. HoganTempo

    HoganTempo Said on 11/19/2009, at 3:22 PM EST

    “Aw, c'mon, Oh2! Lighten up! We all like Natalie Gulbis and know she's a class act!........and always will be!”

  7. Oh2golf

    Oh2golf Said on 11/19/2009, at 3:01 PM EST

    “Why all the anti-feminist comments? Surely one should grow up and not make these sophomoric comments.”

  8. handicap=swing

    handicap=swing Said on 11/19/2009, at 2:19 PM EST

    “HoganT... 10-4 on the oversized heart. I prefer to think that was the only factor other than an overstuffed bank account.”

  9. Jon Boy

    Jon Boy Said on 11/19/2009, at 1:11 PM EST

    “Wie likes maple syrup on her pancakes...”

  10. Arnie

    Arnie'sArmy Said on 11/19/2009, at 9:27 AM EST

    “That $22,000 is a bargain, as some guy bid $25,000 earlier this year to play with Natalie Gulbis. ”

  11. HoganTempo

    HoganTempo Said on 11/19/2009, at 9:27 AM EST

    “Who cares? The money went to charity! If it had gone to MW, IMG , Nike or TGC then I could understand the consternation. The way I see it from this angle, the guy who bid that kind of bucks evidently had a under-sized brain and an over-sized heart! Good for him!”

  12. pingforever

    pingforever Said on 11/19/2009, at 6:30 AM EST

    “Yes Sir Stub: I can see the economy is going in the tank. Of course when you've got $50,000.00 to play a round of golf things couldn't be too bad. So, a guy who claims to flip burgers thinks $22,000 is a bargain. I heard that after Michelle's next win, IMG is going to kick it up a notch. Pro-Am partners will be required to sign over their soul to play along side Michelle.”

  13. macer

    macer Said on 11/19/2009, at 5:30 AM EST

    “The $22,000 paid to charity for the right to play with Michelle Wie is a bargain today because it will cost much more in the future should she continue to play well and avoid injury. One caution for Michelle, IMG, and Nike is to understand that there will be many more distractions in the form of endorsements, commercials, and golf clinics/outings. Tiger Woods has handled all that goes with being number one in the world extremely well. Macer ”

  14. stub

    stub Said on 11/18/2009, at 7:21 PM EST

    “ OK, so maybe we gotta learn the WIEZE to think in Texas terms...the guy was a piker, I wooda bid 50gs without blinking to play with you...The sweetest swing on the LPGA and only getting better...YA GO WIEZE...STUB”